NY Congressman Threatens Reporter at Capitol

Embattled Rep. Michael Grimm, R-NY, threatened to throw a reporter off the Capitol Rotunda balcony for asking him an "off-topic" question about allegations concerning his campaign finances, NY1 reported.

The outraged Staten Island congressman's reaction came while he was being interviewed by NY1 reporter Michael Scotto about President Barack Obama's State of the Union Address.

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"And just finally before we let you go," Scotto said, "we haven't had a chance to talk about some of the..."

The congressman interjected, "I'm not speaking to you off-topic, this is only about the president," then walked off camera.

Scotto turned back to the camera to wrap up his report. "So Congressman Michael Grimm does not want to talk about some of the allegations concerning his campaign finances…"

As the camera continued to record, Grimm came back into view and was seen murmuring to Scotto.

"What?" Scotto said. "I just wanted to ask you..."

Grimm: "Let me be clear to you, you ever do that to me again I'll throw you off this f-----g balcony."

Scotto: "Why? I just wanted to ask you..."
[cross talk]

Grimm: "If you ever do that to me again..."

Scotto: "Why? Why? It's a valid question."
[cross talk]

Grimm: "No, no, you're not man enough, you're not man enough. I'll break you in half. Like a boy."

Grimm has not been charged with any wrongdoing. His former companion, Diana Durand, was arrested by the FBI earlier this month on charges that she used straw donors to circumvent the ceiling on allowable contributions to Grimm's campaign committee, NY 1 reported.

After his altercation with Scotto, the congressman defended his actions in a written statement:

"I was extremely annoyed because I was doing NY1 a favor by rushing to do their interview first in lieu of several other requests. The reporter knew that I was in a hurry and was only there to comment on the State of the Union, but insisted on taking a disrespectful and cheap shot at the end of the interview, because I did not have time to speak off-topic. I verbally took the reporter to task and told him off, because I expect a certain level of professionalism and respect, especially when I go out of my way to do that reporter a favor. I doubt that I am the first Member of Congress to tell off a reporter, and I am sure I won’t be the last."